Data Connector Connector
Access both Collection records and third-party data sources from Process models, then make workflow routing decisions based on that data.
Overview
The Data Connector connector is part of the Data Connector package. From the Data Connector connector, select a Data Connector from which to interact with a data source.
Use the Data Connector connector in your Process models in the following ways:
Access Collections: From your Process model, interact with any Collection in your ProcessMaker Platform instance, including viewing, creating, updating, and/or delete records in a selected Collection. By default, each Collection has a corresponding Data Connector when it is created. Incorporate Collection record data into your Process model so you can make business decisions using it. Likewise, automatically change records in a Collection during a Request when workflow routing conditions are met.
Access third-party data sources: Similarly to Collections, interact with third-party data sources such as Application Program Interfaces (APIs). Reference data from that API, then incorporate it into your Process's Request data. Incorporating data from external data sources helps you make business decisions from information outside of your ProcessMaker Platform instance.
Package and Permissions Required
The Data Connector package must be installed to use the Data Connector connector.
Furthermore, your user account or group membership must have the following permissions to configure a Data Connector connector to the Process model unless your user account has the Make this user a Super Admin setting selected:
Processes: Edit Processes
Processes: View Processes
See the Process permissions or ask your Administrator for assistance.
Add a Data Connector Connector to the Process Model
Add a Data Connector connector from one of the following locations in Process Modeler:
Explorer panel: The Explorer panel is to the left of the Process Modeler canvas. The Explorer panel contains Process model objects and PM Blocks which may be added to the Process model.
Objects bar: The Objects bar is at the bottom of the Process Modeler canvas. This bar contains pinned Process model objects which are easily accessible to add to the Process model.
Follow these steps to add a Data Connector connector from the Explorer panel to the Process model:
Locate the Data Connector object category from one of the following locations in the Explorer panel:
Pinned Objects: The Data Connector object category displays from the Pinned Objects section when it is pinned. This element type is not pinned by default.
Object Category: The Data Connector object category displays from the Object Category section when it is not pinned.
Its icon displays adjacent to the mouse icon to indicate this connector type may be placed into the Process model.
After adding the Data Connector connector, consider adding the following Boundary-type Process model elements to design business solutions when your best-case scenarios don't happen:
Boundary Timer Event element (Don't know what that is?)
Boundary Error Event element (Don't know what that is?)
After the connector is placed into the Process model, you may adjust its location in the following ways:
Move the connector by dragging it to a new location.
Select the connector with other elements and/or connectors, and then move them collectively by dragging them to new locations in relation to one another.
Align and/or distribute the connector in relation to other selected elements and/or connectors.
Moving a Data Connector connector has the following limitations in regards to the following Process model elements:
Pool element: If the Data Connector connector is inside of a Pool element, it cannot be moved outside of the Pool element. If you attempt to do so, Process Modeler places the Data Connector connector inside the Pool element closest to where you attempt to move it.
Lane element: If the Data Connector connector is inside of a Lane element, it can be moved to another Lane element in the same Pool element. However, the Data Connector connector cannot be moved outside of the Pool element.
Change a Data Connector Connector's Appearance
See Customize the Appearance of a Process Model Object.
Copy a Data Connector Connector
See Copy Process Model Objects into the Clipboard.
Clone a Data Connector Connector
See Clone Process Model Objects Without the Clipboard.
Delete a Data Connector Connector
See Delete Process Model Objects.
Settings
The Data Connector connector has the following panels that contain settings:
Loop Characteristics panel
Callback panel
Error Handling panel
Documentation panel (available when the Documentation package is installed)
Data Connector Panel Settings
The Data Connector connector has the following settings in the Data Connector panel:
Edit the Connector Name
A connector name is a human-readable reference for a Process model control. Process Modeler automatically assigns the name of a Process model connector with its connector type. However, a connector's name can be changed.
Follow these steps to edit the name for a Data Connector connector:
Select the Data Connector connector from the Process model in which to edit its name.
In the Name setting, edit the selected connector's name and then press Enter.
Select the Data Connector
The Data Connector connector uses a Data Connector that is configured to interact with a data source, such as a Collection or a third-party Application Program Interface (API). A Data Connector must already exist before it can be selected for use in a Data Connector connector. Each Data Connector is already configured with which data source it interacts.
Collections automatically create a Data Connector when the Collection is created. Data Connectors created from a Collection by default have the same name as the Collection that it references.
Follow these steps to select the Data Connector the Data Connector connector uses:
Select the Data Connector connector from the Process model in which to specify the Data Connector to reference.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
From the Select a Data Connector drop-down menu, select which Data Connector the Data Connector connector uses.
Ensure to select which of the Data Connector's Resources interacts with the data source to properly configure the Data Connector connector.
Select the Resource the Data Connector Connector Uses to Interact with the Data Source
Each Data Connector contains at least one Resource. These Resources are configured from the Data Connector itself. A Resource is an action the Data Connector uses to interact with the data source. The Data Connector connector uses a Resource to interact with the data source. These Resources may interact with Collection records, Application Program Interfaces (APIs), or other data source types. After a Data Connector has been selected from the Select a Data Connector setting, select the Resource from that Data Connector the Data Connector uses to interact with the data source.
Data Connectors created from Collections use a default set of Resources. See Resources for Collections.
Follow these steps to select which Resource the Data Connector connector uses:
Select the Data Connector connector from the Process model in which to select the resource the Data Connector uses.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
Expand the Data Connector panel if it is not presently expanded, and then locate the Select a Data Connector setting. Ensure that a Data Connector is selected from the Select a Data Connector setting. If not, see Select the Data Connector.
From the Select a Resource drop-down menu, select which Resource the Data Connector connector uses to interact with the data source.
Add Outbound Properties to Send Data to the Data Source
Configure to which data properties the Data Connector connector sends to the data source, whether that be an Application Program Interface (API) or Collection to which the Data Connector is configured to interact.
Ensure that you have configured the following before configuring outbound properties, in this order:
Outbound data may be sent to each parameter, header, or body configured in the Data Connector once.
Follow these steps to configure outbound properties:
Select the Data Connector connector from the Process model in which to add outbound properties.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
Expand the Data Connector panel if it is not presently expanded, and then locate the Outbound Configuration. Ensure that a Data Connector and a Resource are selected from the Select a Data Connector and Select a Resource settings, respectively. If not, see Select the Data Connector and Select the Resource, in that order.
From the Type drop-down menu, select from which type of data configured for the selected Resource in which to interact with its data:
Param: Select the Param option to select a parameter configured with the selected Resource. If no parameters are configured for the selected Resource, Not available displays.
Header: Select the Header option to select a header configured with the selected Resource. If no headers are configured for the selected Resource, Not available displays.
Body: Select the Body option to select the body configured for the selected Resource that is typically used in PUT and POST methods. If the selected Resource is not configured to include a body, Not available displays.
From the Property drop-down menu, select a property configured for the selected type from the selected resource. If no properties are configured for the selected type in that Resource, Not available displays.
In the Request Variable setting, enter using mustache syntax the Request variable name to use that variable's value when the Resource calls the data source. If the Request Variable setting value is not contained in mustache syntax, the Data Connector uses the literal string during its Resource call.
Click Save.
Each outbound configuration to a data source property displays in the Outbound Configuration setting. An icon to the left of each outbound configuration represents its property type:
P: The P icon represents an outbound configuration for a parameter property type.
H: The H icon represents an outbound configuration for a header property type.
B: The B icon represents an outbound configuration for a body property type.
Map Data from the Data Source to the Request's JSON Data Model
Configure how data from the data source integrates with Request data.
Ensure that you have configured the following before configuring outbound properties, in this order:
The procedure to integrate the data source's data to the Request JSON data model is called response mapping: specifying into which Request variable to store the data source's data. The Data Connector may be configured with response mapping, whereby a specified source name in the body or header of the data source response's is mapped to store that value in a specified Request variable. By relying on the Data Connector's response mapping, the Process designer only needs to select the Request variable name as mapped in the Data Connector's response without knowing technical details for this mapping.
Each JSON object contains a key name that references the JSON object, and the value for that key. If the JSON object already exists in a Request's JSON data model, then the Data Connector connector overwrites the existing JSON object value with that from the data source. If the JSON object(s) to map the data source data does not exist, then the Data Connector connector adds the JSON data object(s) to that Request's JSON data model.
Follow these steps to specify the Request JSON data object(s) to which to map the data source's data:
Select the Data Connector connector from the Process model to map the data source's data to the Request JSON object(s).
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
In the Source setting, enter the name of the source from which to store the response. If the source is from Request data, such as from a Collection, the source name is
data
.data
is the name of the JSON object that stores all data for each Request. However, the Source setting corresponds with how the Data Connector maps the data response: by selecting a mapped Request variable from the Set to Request Variable setting below, its corresponding source name displays in the Source setting. Optionally, specify the source name as a Request variable using mustache syntax.In the Set to Request Variable setting, enter the Request variable as configured in the Data Connector's response mapping in which to store the data source's response. Optionally, specify the source name as a Request variable using mustache syntax. After doing so, the Source setting displays the source's name configured for that response mapping.
Click Save.
Repeat Steps 4 through 6 for each Request variable to store the data source's response.
Loop Characteristics Panel Settings
Specify Characteristics to Perform Multiple Instances of the Task
Use the Loop Characteristics panel settings to specify how to perform multiple instances of this element. The following loop modes are available for this element:
No Loop Mode: Select the No Loop Mode option to perform this element's Task only once.
Loop: Select the Loop option to sequentially repeat this element's Task multiple times until an exit condition is
True
. This is useful when a Task should be performed multiple times with the same set of data, such as, processing a credit card payment. This loop mode has the following characteristics:The element's Task is repeated until the exit condition is
True
or the maximum iterations limit is reached.At any given time, only one instance of the Task is active. The subsequent instance does not begin until the current instance completes.
The same exit condition evaluates at the end of each instance; however, value(s) of the Request variable(s) used in the exit condition can change during an instance resulting in the exit condition to eventually evaluate as
True
.If any one instance of that Task does not complete, workflow pauses.
All active instances are terminated if an interrupting boundary-type event element triggers.
Multi-instance (Parallel): Select the Multi-instance (Parallel) option to perform this element's Task multiple times in parallel a fixed number of times. This is useful when performing any action in bulk, such as sending an email to several people. This loop mode has the following characteristics:
Instances of the Task are governed by the size of an array-type Request variable where a new instance is created for each item in this variable. For example, an array with 10 items will create 10 parallel instances of this Task that each contains data from its respective array index.
All instances begin simultaneously when this element triggers; however, they perform their Task independently of each other.
The Task as a whole completes when all instances are complete.
The output from each instance can either be saved in the source Request variable or a new array-type Request variable.
All active instances terminate if an interrupting boundary-type event element triggers.
Multi-instance (Sequential): Select the Multi-instance (Sequential) option to perform this element's Task multiple times sequentially a fixed number of times or until an exit condition is
True
. This is useful when sequentially repeating a Task multiple times but with a different set of data each time. This loop mode has the following characteristics:Instances of the Task are governed by the size an array-type Request variable where a new instance is created for each item in this variable. For example, an array with 10 items will create 10 parallel instances of this Task that each contains data from its respect array index.
At any given time, only one instance of the Task is active. The subsequent instance does not begin until the current instance completes.
At the end of each instance an exit condition evaluates and the loop activity halts if the exit condition is
True
.The Task as a whole completes when all instances are complete.
Follow these steps to specify characteristics to perform multiple instances of the Task:
Select the element from the Process model in which to specify multiple instance characteristics.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
Expand the Loop Characteristics panel. The Loop Characteristics setting displays. By default, Loop Activity is set to No Loop Mode and the Task is performed only once.
From the Loop Mode setting, select one of the following options to perform this element's Task more than once.
Loop: Select the Loop option. The settings for this loop mode display:
Follow these steps:
In the Maximum Iterations setting, enter an integer value representing the maximum number of times this Task should be performed.
In the Exit Condition setting, enter a condition in FEEL syntax. When this condition is True the loop activity is halted.
Multi-instance (Parallel): Select the Multi-instance (Parallel) option. The settings for this loop mode display:
Follow these steps:
In the Request Variable Array setting, enter the name of an array-type Request variable. The size of this array will determine how many times this loop iterates.
In the Output Data Variable setting, enter the name of an array-type Request variable in which to store the results of all instances. Each instance of the loop saves to a separate JSON object within the array of the specified Request variable. If the Output Data Variable setting is not configured, then the output data replaces the source data in the Request Variable Array.
Multi-instance (Sequential): Select the Multi-instance (Sequential) option. The settings for this loop mode display:
Follow these steps:
In the Request Variable Array setting, enter the name of an array-type Request variable. The size of this array will determine how many times this loop iterates.
In the Exit Condition setting, enter a condition in FEEL syntax. When this condition is True the loop activity is halted.
In the Output Data Variable setting, enter the name of an array-type Request variable in which to store the results of all instances. Each instance of the loop saves to a separate JSON object within the array of the specified Request variable. If the Output Data Variable setting is not configured, then the output data replaces the source data in the Request Variable Array.
Callback Panel Setting
Configure the Server Callback
Configure how the Data Connector connector automatically calls back the data source by enabling the Wait for server callback setting with a callback. A callback automates receiving data from the data source, such as a third-party service, and then subsequently sending back data to that data source. The Data Connector connector monitors for data from the data source via a unique URL that may be stored in a Request variable. Likewise, the data that the Data Connector connector sends to the data source as a response may be stored in a Request variable. Configure the callback to use GET and/or POST methods to retrieve and/or send data, respectively.
In overview, a callback functions as follows:
A Data Connector connector interacts with a data source, such as the third-party service Stripe that automates payment services. For example, a Request participant has submitted information for a payment via a Task earlier in that Request.
The Request pauses while the Data Connector connector waits for the data source to respond. The connector monitors for that response. For example, Stripe responds that the submitted payment is accepted or rejected. The third-party service is the Data Connector's data source.
After the third-party service processes its data and responds to the Data Connector connector, the connector calls back that data source: the connector may get data or post data to that third-party service.
For example, consider a course enrollment process where each student selects courses for that semester and then must pay for tuition. After enrolling in courses, a Task presents the student with a final invoice and payment options. When the student submits payment, the Request invokes a payment service's Application Program Interface (API), such as Stripe, to verify the payment. Use a Data Connector connector callback to monitor when the payment service's API verifies the payment information entered by the student. The Request now waits for a response from the payment service's API. The API response returns to a Request variable which can be used to determine next steps in that Request. If the student entered correct payment information and payment is honored, then their course enrollment is confirmed; otherwise the student must re-enter their payment details.
Follow these steps to specify a Data Connector connector's callback to the data source:
Select the Data Connector connector from the Process model in which to configure the server callback.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
Enable the Wait for server callback option to configure callback settings.
In the Authentication drop-down menu, select one of the following authentication methods:
None: Select the None option if no authentication is required.
Follow these steps to enter basic authentication credentials:
In the Username setting, enter the username to authenticate with the data source.
In the Password setting, enter the password to authenticate with the data source.
Follow these guidelines to manage server URLs:
After entering a server URL, press Enter.
Error Handling Panel Settings
Edit Timeout and Retry Settings When Errors Occur
Follow these guidelines to set how to handle Data Connector runtime errors:
Set how many seconds to wait when an unexpected error occurs during runtime before displaying the error in that Data Connector connector, thereby causing that Request to be in Error status.
Set how many consecutive attempts to run the Data Connector connector before displaying a runtime error.
Requests are going to wait the configured number of seconds and consecutive runtime attempts for an unresponsive Data Connector connector before displaying the error.
Optionally, notify the Process Manager of the Data Connector runtime error via an in-platform or email notification.
Follow these steps to edit the Error Handling settings:
Select the Data Connector connector from the Process model in which to edit the Error Handling.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
In the Timeout setting, configure how many seconds to wait for an unresponsive Data Connector connector before declaring a time-out as follows:
Enter the number of seconds. Use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease seconds.
Set
0
for no timeout.Leave empty to use the Data Connector default setting.
In the Retry Attempts setting, configure how many times to re-execute the Data Connector if the Data Connector connector returns a runtime error as follows:
Enter a number. Use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the number.
Set
0
for no retry attempts.Leave empty to use the Data Connector default setting.
In the Retry Wait Time setting, configure how many seconds to wait before attempting a retry as follows:
Enter the number of seconds. Use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease seconds.
Set
0
for no timeout.Leave empty to use the Data Connector default setting.
Enable the In-app Notification toggle to notify through the user interface to the Process Manager that there is a Data Connector connector runtime error.
Enable the Email Notification toggle to notify through an email to the Process Manager that there is a Data Connector execution error.
Documentation Panel Settings
Edit the Connector's Description Displayed in Process Documentation
If the Documentation package is installed, describe the connector's purpose and how it functions in the Process. This description does not affect Requests for the Process, but may be useful for Process model maintenance such as how the connector is configured. Edit information by using the What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) rich text editor.
A Process's entered documentation displays by selecting the View Documentation icon for that Process.
Package Required
The Documentation package must be installed to view or edit the documentation for a Process element or connector. Use the Documentation package to view documentation for Processes that includes an image of the Process map and entered description of its elements and connectors.
Follow these steps to edit the description for a connector:
Select the connector from the Process model in which to edit its description.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.Panels to configure this connector display.
Follow these guidelines to use the WYSIWYG rich text editor to stylize your text:
Select the required text from the Rich Text control.
In the URL setting, enter the destination URL.
In the Text to display setting, edit or enter the text displayed in the Rich Text control.
In the Title setting, enter the text to display when a user hovers over the displayed text.
From Open link in… drop-down menu, select one of these options:
New window: Select this option to open the destination page in a new browser window.
Current window: Select this option to open the destination page in the current browser window.
In the Source setting, enter a URL for the image.
In the Alternative Description setting, enter the text to display if the source URL of the image is not accessible.
In the Width setting, enter the maximum width for the image.
In the Height setting, enter the maximum height for the image.
Click Save.
Format text: Follow these guidelines to format text:
Headings: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Headings and then select a heading size.
Bold: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Bold.
Italics: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Italic.
Underline: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Underline.
Strikethrough: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Strikethrough.
Superscript: From the Paragraph/ Formats menu, select Inline and then Superscript.
Subscript: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Subscript.
Code: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Code.
Paragraph: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Paragraph.
Blockquote: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Blockquote.
Division: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Div.
Preformatted: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Pre.
Select one of the color swatches from the color palette. The selected text changes to that color.
Align text: Follow these guidelines to align text:
Left align: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Left.
Center align: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Center.
Right align: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Right.
Justify: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Justify.
Advanced Panel Settings
Edit the Node's Identifier Value
A Process node represents a component of a Process model, whether that is a BPMN element or a connector. Process Modeler automatically assigns a unique value to each Process node added to a Process model. A Process node's identifier value can be changed if it is unique to all other nodes in the Process model, including the Process model's identifier value.
All identifier values for all nodes in the Process model must be unique.
Follow these steps to edit the identifier value for a Data Connector connector:
Select the Data Connector connector from the Process model in which to edit its identifier value.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
Expand the Advanced panel if it is not presently expanded. The Node Identifier setting displays. This is a required setting.
In the Node Identifier setting, edit the Data Connector connector's identifier to a unique value from all nodes in the Process model and then press Enter.
Related Topics
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